Communications and digital technologies minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has suggested the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to counter unruly behaviour in Parliament.
Ntshavheni made the remarks yesterday during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) debate in Cape Town.
Her comments come after South Africa has over the years witnessed chaotic and violent scenes during the delivery of the SONA.
Earlier this month, members of opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) stormed the stage when president Cyril Ramaphosa was delivering the SONA.
Amid the fracas, the EFF members had to be forcibly chucked out of the National Assembly by the police.
Said Ntshavheni: “In the not-so-distant future, we should be able to use the predictive technology of artificial intelligence to, among others, detect undue conduct in this House to strengthen the work of the Speaker in upholding the decorum of the House and maintaining order.”
The minister added: “In this regard, we have established the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa (AIISA). It was launched on 30 November 2022, in partnership with the University of Johannesburg and Tshwane University of Technology, in part as an acknowledgment that AI technology holds the greatest potential of resuscitating socio-economic recovery and development of the country, and secondly, in line with the recommendations of the Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
She noted home-grown AI solutions are being developed within AIISA, to support the application of AI across sectors and harness innovation-based production for commercialisation.
According to the minister, youth linked to the AIISA JBS-Hub have developed a virtual science laboratory that will be rolled out to science, technology, engineering and mathematics schools without science laboratories.
“This will enable learners to perform science experiments virtually instead of the current situation where they only read science experiments in their textbooks, thus using technology to bridge a societal gap.”
The TUT-hub will be launched in March and four new AIISA centres of excellence will be established in the 2023/24 financial year, said Ntshavheni.
It this week emerged that AI is the top technology that South Africans want to know more about, based on the latest Google Search trends.
Google revealed AI was searched more than ever in 2022 in the country and around the world, with South Africans searching for the term 90% more than in 2021.
Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, incoming rector of the United Nations University, was singled out by the minister during the SONA debate. Ntshavheni wished him well and said he has contributed immensely to this country, region and the African continent’s progress in AI, machine learning and emerging technologies.
“We look forward to his continued contribution in the development of science and technology in South Africa and Africa in general.”
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